Fox News Scandalizes Hillary Clinton's Speaking Fee At UNLV

July 7, 2014 8:15 PM EDT ›››
SOPHIA TESFAYE

Hillary Clinton Set To Speak At A University of Nevada, Las Vegas Fundraiser For $225,000

Clinton To Be Keynote Speaker At The UNLV Foundation Annual Dinner. On October 13, 2014, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is scheduled to deliver the keynote address at afundraising event for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). As Las Vegas Review-Journal reported:

Fox News Suggests UNLV Is Paying Clinton Out Of Student Funds

Fox Hosts Questioned Why UNLV Will Pay Clinton's Speaking Fee, Citing Rising Tuition Rates. On theJuly 7 edition of Fox News' Outnumbered, the co-hosts repeatedly asserted thatUNLV was footing the $225,000 bill for Clinton's speaking fee, arguing that Clinton should "give some of the money back to that school" and that students who are upset should protest "their own university who is paying $225,000 and then jacking up the rate of tuition" (emphasis added):

HARRIS FAULKNER: In an interview she said she donates proceeds from her college speaking gigs to a foundation which does, quote, "life changing and lifesaving work." That foundation? Her very own. Look, there's the logo right there. The Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation, founded by her husband Bill after they left the White House. The controversy over Mrs. Clinton's speaking fees is erupting and has been ever since it was reported she's due $225,000 when she speaks this fall at a benefit for the University of Nevada Las Vegas. The students say they want the money back. You know, I wonder what she says for $225,000.

[...]

JEDEDIAH BILA: Got to give some of that money back to that school. I think it's so interesting. Only Hillary would be able to come back and say, "well, we gave it to a foundation. It just happens to have my name on it," and get away with it. That was not terribly surprising at all.

[...]

SANDRA SMITH: It's still not clear to me why the students, though, are protesting her, when the school chose to pay her. Why aren't they protesting their own university who is paying her $225,000 and then jacking up the rate of tuition? [Fox News, Outnumbered, 7/7/14]

Nevada Board Of Regents Member: "No Student Funds, No Tuition Funds, No State Dollars Are Being Used In Any Way To Pay Her Fee." TheWall Street Journal reported that according to Michael Wixom, a member of Nevada's higher education Board of Regents, no university funds are paying for Clinton's speaking fee. A UNLV spokesman told the Journal that Clinton will be paid through private donations:

Mrs. Clinton plans to deliver the keynote speech at a UNLV fundraising event in October. Her appearance fee is $225,000, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Her office declined to comment on the UNLV speech. A school spokesman wouldn't confirm the amount but said such fees are paid through private donations and that no university funds are involved.

[...]

Michael Wixom, a member of Nevada's higher education Board of Regents said Mrs. Clinton is worth the money. "The fee is relatively high, and I understand that. But she's a very high-profile speaker at this point," he said.

He added that "no student funds, no tuition funds, no state dollars are being used in any way to pay her fee....And as part of an overall effort to raise money for the university, I think it's appropriate." [The Wall Street Journal, 6/27/14]

UNLV: Clinton's Fee Is Covered Through Private Sponsorships. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, University of Nevada, Las Vegas spokesperson Afsha Bawany made clear thatClinton's "fee is covered through private sponsorships obtained by the Foundation for the event." [Las Vegas Review-Journal, 6/23/14]

Clinton Will Donate Speaking Fee To The Bill, Hillary, And Chelsea Clinton Foundation

ABC News: Clinton Will Donate Speaking Fee From UNLV To Charity. As ABC News reported on June 27, "The UNLV fee will reportedly be deposited into the account of the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation rather than directly into Clinton's own wallet." [ABC News, 6/27/14]

Clinton: "All Of The Fees Have Been Donated To The Clinton Foundation." Clinton told ABC News how "all of the fees" from speaking at colleges "have been donated to the Clinton Foundation":

Hillary Clinton continued to justify her high-dollar speaking fees on Friday, telling ABC News' Ann Compton that all of the money she's made from colleges over the past year and a half has been donated to her family's foundation.

"All of the fees have been donated to the Clinton Foundation for it to continue its life-changing and life-saving work. So it goes from a foundation at a university to another foundation," Clinton said when asked about the criticism she and her husband have faced recently for their wealth. [ABC News, 7/4/14]